1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to paint brushes and, more particularly, to a paint brush protective cover that protects the bristles of paint brushes from being damaged during wet or dry storage or nonuse thereby extending the life of the paint brush.
2. Related Art
In cases where a purchaser opts to purchase a paint brush to perform a painting job, there is a choice of brush shape, size and different filament materials. A professional painter can own many brushes, each with its own use. Typically each project can require several brushes, for large areas a 3 or 4 inch is used for general cutting in large pieces or general use whereas and for trim a 1½ inch works well. On a professional site there may be a crew of painters each using several brushes.
Fine paint brushes are expensive however they are required for a professional job as they apply a smoother finish with less brush strokes and paint faster and with less effort. If properly cleaned and stored they will last for years and conversely if not will have a short life. Inexpensive paint brushes can shed bristles into the finish and are difficult to work with, producing an inferior finish.
Paint brushes are categorized according to the type of coating being applied; water based paints and primers, such as latex or acrylic paints and primer plus water based epoxy; oil based paints and primers, such as alkyd paints and primers plus oil based epoxies; solvent thinned paints and primers; water based clear wood finishes and stains, such as acrylic urethane, water based polyurethane and its variants plus water based wood stains; oil based clear wood finishes and stains; this includes the common varnish and polyurethane plus oil based wood stains; all solvent thinned clear finishes and wood stains; shellac primers and clear finishes, such as tinted and clear shellac is thinned with denatured alcohol.
Each of these “types” of coatings or stains has a specific type of brush that is used. Type of paint brush refers to the filaments used in its construction. These filaments can be synthetic, natural, or a combination of the two. Synthetic refers to different types of plastics used to make the filaments, nylon and polyester or blends of the two. Natural refers to animal hair that is used in the brushes construction, this type of filaments are called bristles. Filaments are designed for specific solvents and will be damaged if used in the wrong solvent or improperly stored.
Synthetic brushes loose there shape in oil base paints and primers, an oil paint brush must be stiff enough to hold its shape and soft enough not to leave to many brush marks. Brush manufactures use a blend of different natural bristles to change the softness and stiffness for performing a job, for example, one having the stiffness for cutting in a straight line and thicker hair for holding more paint or one suited for varnishes, polyurethane and stains or one's for clear wood finishes require a very soft brush for the best results.
Bristle brushes cannot be used with latex paints or be cleaned with water this will ruin the brush. Natural bristle paint brushes absorb water and loose their shape, becoming impossible to control. However, cleaning the brush after every use is not desirable as it takes time and use of costly solvents.
It is desirable to leave the brush wet. Some painters leave the brush in a zip lock bag or in a bucket of paint. While this prevents cleanup, it often results in the disfigurement of the bristles. This is particularly problematic with cut-in brushes which come in a variety of shapes such as angular, flat, and oval, and size ranges from 1-6 inches wide and if disfigured become useless.
Fine paint brushes typically are expensive. User's of fine paint brushes, such as professionals, require excellent coverage from their paint brush, durability from their paint brush, greater efficiency in production, precise lines, proven results for smooth finishes and a lack of bristles or filaments left behind from the paint brush. When a paint brush no longer is capable of producing, the paint brush will be discarded and a new paint brush is purchased to replace the old paint brush.
After a job is finished, the brush must be cleaned in an appropriate solution to remove all of the remaining paint. Sometimes the bristles tend to separate and fray off in non-uniform directions and become a problem for the next usage so care must be taken to store the brush in a manner wherein the bristles can be maintained aligned.
Covers that the paint brushes are sold in are made of paper and are rather flimsy and easily tear and do not last very long. If no protective cover is used, in addition to the above described disfigurement occurring, dust and other particles generally stick and become imbedded inside the bristles. These particles will collect on the paint producing non-uniform streaks of paint during use.
Prior attempts to cover paint brushes include conventional paper or plastic covers which substantially fold about the bristles to maintain the filament shape. Some cases provide for air holes so that the filaments can dry after cleaning is performed.
The problem which is not addressed is that of wet media storage. Painters need a simple and easy cover for both dry and wet storage of the brushes which protects the filaments. There is also a need for quick, safe and easy transportation of brushes. Therefore, a need exists to provide an improved paint brush protective cover. The improved paint brush cover must be simple to use, allow for wet and dry storage, easy cleanup and durability and be inexpensive.